**  U N C L A S S I F I E D  **

ADMINISTRATIVE MESSAGE

ROUTINE

R 202001Z JUL 93 ZYB

FM CMC WASHINGTON  DC//CDC//

TO ALMAR

XMT  AMCONSUL  BRAZZAVILLE CF

UNCLAS  //NOOOOO//

MSGID/GENADMIN//

SUBJ/POLICY ON HOMOSEXUALS IN THE ARMED FORCES//


RMKS/1.	ON 19 JUL 93, THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF 
ANNOUNCED HIS DECISION ON A POLICY FOR  HOMOSEXUALS IN 
THE ARMED FORCES.  THE POLICY WILL  BE EFFECTIVE ON 1 OCT 
93.  THE POLICY WILL PRESERVE  GOOD ORDER, DISCIPLINE, AND 
COHESION IN OUR MARINE  CORPS WHILE ENSURING THAT 
PERSONS WHOSE  BEHAVIOR IS CONSISTENT WITH THE HIGH 
STANDARDS OF  THE ARMED FORCES CAN SERVE, WHILE THOSE 
WHOSE IS  NOT WILL BE SEPARATED.  IT IS A SOUND POLICY, AND 
IT  REFLECTS A COURAGEOUS DECISION BY OUR COMMANDER  IN 
CHIEF.  THE PRESIDENT SOUGHT, AND WAS GIVEN, THE  MOST 
COMPREHENSIVE ADVICE THOSE IN UNIFORM  COULD OFFER; 
WEIGHED IT; AND MADE A DECISION IN THE  BEST INTEREST OF 
MAINTAINING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF  THE ARMED FORCES. 

2.   KEY ELEMENTS OF THE NEW POLICY ARE AS FOLLOWS: 

        A.  THE DOD HAS LONG HELD, AS A GENERAL RULE,  THAT 
HOMOSEXUALITY IS INCOMPATIBLE WITH MILITARY  SERVICE.  
EVEN SO, WE RECOGNIZE THAT HOMOSEXUALS  HAVE SERVED IN 
THE ARMED FORCES, SOMETIMES WITH  DISTINCTION -- NOT 
BECAUSE THEY WERE HOMOSEXUALS,  BUT BECAUSE THEY WERE 
ABLE TO CONFORM THEIR  BEHAVIOR TO THE CONSTRAINTS OF 
MILITARY SERVICE. 

        B.  SEXUAL ORIENTATION, DEFINED AS A SEXUAL  
ATTRACTION TO INDIVIDUALS OF A PARTICULAR SEX,  EITHER 
OPPOSITE OR SAME, IS A PRIVATE MATTER, AND  IS NOT A BAR 
TO SERVICE ENTRY OR CONTINUED SERVICE  UNLESS 
MANIFESTED BY HOMOSEXUAL CONDUCT. 

        C.  SERVICE MEMBERS WILL CONTINUE TO BE  DISCHARGED 
FOR HOMOSEXUAL CONDUCT.  FOR THE  PURPOSE OF THIS POLICY, 
HOMOSEXUAL CONDUCT IS: 

          (1)  A HOMOSEXUAL ACT, OR 

          (2)  A STATEMENT BY A SERVICE MEMBER  THAT HE OR 
SHE IS A HOMOSEXUAL OR BISEXUAL, OR 

          (3)  A HOMOSEXUAL MARRIAGE OR ATTEMPTED  
HOMOSEXUAL MARRIAGE. 

        D.  COMMANDERS AND INVESTIGATING AGENCIES  WILL NOT 
INITIATE INQUIRIES OR INVESTIGATIONS  SOLELY TO 
DETERMINE A SERVICE MEMBER'S SEXUAL  ORIENTATION, NOR 
WILL MEMBERS BE REQUIRED TO  REVEAL THEIR SEXUAL 
ORIENTATION.  COMMANDERS  WILL, HOWEVER, CONTINUE TO 
INITIATE INQUIRIES OR  INVESTIGATIONS WHEN THERE IS 
CREDIBLE  INFORMATION THAT A BASIS FOR DISCHARGE OR  
DISCIPLINARY ACTION EXISTS. 

3.  IT IS NOW TIME TO GET ON WITH THE BUSINESS OF  
IMPLEMENTING THIS POLICY.  AS I TOLD YOU ON 29 JAN  93, THE 
MARINE CORPS WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE  MARINES AND WE WILL 
TREAT ALL MARINES WITH  FIRMNESS, FAIRNESS AND HUMAN 
DIGNITY.  THOSE WHO  FIRST AND FOREMOST DESIRE TO BE 
MARINES WILL HAVE  EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO UNDER THE 
NEW POLICY. 

4.  SEMPER FIDELIS, MARINES.  GEN C. E. MUNDY, JR., 
COMMANDANT.// 

BT 
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